School Garden Program

There are four schools
in the Garden Program:

San Luis Obispo Community School

Mesa Community School,
Arroyo Grande

Chalk Mountain Community School,
Atascadero

Loma Vista Community School,
San Luis Obispo

Mission

The ECOSLO community school garden program seeks to teach students horticulture skills, natural resource stewardship, and social values through integrated academics and a school garden. Upon completion of this program we wish for the students to be instilled with a great respect for where their food comes from, to value landscapes and open space, and to be a contributing and capable member of their community.

Service and Learning

In 2001, with a Cesar Chavez grant from the Governor's office of volunteerism and Service, ECOSLO partnered with the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education (SLOCOE) to establish the Community School Garden Program. Students at Community Schools have not succeeded in the conventional school system for a variety of reasons. The community schools are their last opportunity in the public school system and a percentage do not return to standard public school.

Students work in the garden once a week under the tutelage of Laura Lopez, a local horticulturalist and the garden program coordinator. Activities include: establishing perennial gardens, composting , mulching, pruning, seed saving and sowing, plant propagation, weed control, nutrition and food preparation, community service, and field trips to various nurseries, farms and gardens. By shrinking the gap between the youth and our natural environment, the program encourages these students to simply be aware of and care for the earth, while simultaneously providing them options for applying themselves during school and after graduation.

The Community School Garden Program is run Completely on Fundraising and Grants

Any support you can give us in time, expertise, dollars or donations is gratefully received and eagerly put to work! For more information e-mail Laura or call (805) 544-1777.

Have extra garden items that would help our garden grow? Donate them. (tools, gloves, scrap wood, hose nozzles, green house...)

Share your Garden if you have extra plants from divisions or seeds consider donating them.

Dare to Docent. Help lead a class in the garden on a subject with which you are most comfortable, from building raised beds to propagation.

Want to just donate? We will gladly accept any monetary donation as well as any input from the community.